


Wit and Tickles

by FairlyConfused



Category: Original Work
Genre: Implied Sexual Content, Interrogation, M/M, Non-Consensual Tickling, Tickling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-13 13:20:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29402583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FairlyConfused/pseuds/FairlyConfused
Summary: Fen must infiltrate The Roses, an enemy guild that poses a threat to his own, The Fireflies. Fen must be careful, as The Rose's methods are much different, including their policy of non-violence, and punishments by tickling. If Fen slips up at all, he could be in serious trouble.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 17





	1. Waltzing Through a Garden of Roses

**Author's Note:**

> As a note, this is my first work I am posting. I am new to posting works online, so any constructive advice is welcome.

Fen lied awake in his feather bed, anxiety knotted in his core. He felt small- his lean body and thin frame exaggerated by the big, fluffy mattress. He brought his hand to his sweaty forehead and ran his fingers through his short white hair. It was normal to be nervous before a big job, but this was unlike any anxiety he had experienced before.

His guild, The Dockside Fireflies, was in dire straights. Jobs had stopped coming in, and without work to do, the thieves were getting restless. Many began to steal from each other, a taboo unlike any other. Close friends fought, lovers turned their backs on each other, and membership began to dwindle. The guild was Fen's only family, and to see them reduced to this was more than he could bear. He was with the Fireflies as long as he could remember. They taught him how to survive by any means necessary, and it was because of them that he was a skilled thief. He needed coin but with clientele emigrating elsewhere, times were growing desperate. So was Fen.

He not only needed to bring in money but he also had to attract clients, all while being discrete. He knew exactly what he had to do, but he wasn't sure if he could pull it off. The days he spent rehearsing every move and memorizing every procedure could have been for nothing if he slipped up even once. He began mentally rehearsing one last time.

He would pose as a recruit for their sworn enemies, a guild simply known as The Roses. Their stylish methods and signature calling card- rose petals left at the crime scene- appealed to those in the upper class who required more than just simple theft. Once he was accepted, he would send back coin and information to the Fireflies. Eventually, over time, he could undermine the Roses from within, tarnishing their reputation and scaring off potential clients. His exit strategy was simple. After achieving his goals, Fen, or rather his temporary adopted identity, would disappear- as thieves so often do, and he could return to being Fen the Firefly once again. He kept that thought in his mind for a little while longer, to temporarily ward off the dread of reality.

Fen sat up and looked around his room. To shelves filled with snatched treasures and childhood memories, and to his chest and wardrobe, now sitting empty. His clothes were now packed away, aside from the simple, dark grey leggings and matching long sleeve shirt he now wore. In his 24 years, he had lived nowhere else, but the time had come to say goodbye to this room for now. But because he didn't know when he would set foot in it again, Fen inhaled slowly, breathing in the scent of home one last time before walking out and closing the door.

With his travel pack slung over his shoulder and no more reason to delay, Fen left the Firefly hideout for a rendevous with a real Rose initiate, Doren. Fen had been stalking Doren for months, waiting for the right time to reveal himself as Morél, an amateur thief looking to prove himself to the Roses. He had already proven himself to Doren by stealing from market vendors' stalls, pickpocketing tourists, and exhibiting his knowledge of picking even the trickiest of locks. Tonight was his initiation.

Fen walked to the rendevous spot, The Garden, a large tavern, in the middle of a bustling market district. Once there, he sat at an empty table in the back of the dining area, away from the crowd, and waited patiently for Doren to join him.

While he waited, Fen more closely inspected his surroundings. There was a large bar on the north side of the room, at which the majority of the crowd gathered. The rest of the patrons were scattered sparsely around the rest of the tables, enjoying their evening meals. Fen's stomach growled, and he was close to ordering a meal when a man approached and sat across from him.

"Morél." The name sounded so foreign, but Fen had to get used to it, as it was his name now. Fen tried to steady his nerves.

"Are you ready?" 

Fen nodded, still silent.

The burly man across from him got up and motioned to Fen to follow him. Together they walked outside, into the alley on the west side of the tavern. Fen was nervous. His mind raced with dark possibilities of being trapped, robbed, or even killed. The truth was that he had no idea what he was getting into. His thoughts were interrupted by Doren's voice.

"Alright, we're here." Fen looked around, they were still in the alley. Then he heard a grinding sound, stone on stone. An opening in the side of the tavern opened up, revealing a stairway down. Doren didn't look back to see if Fen was following him as he walked down the stairs, and Fen thought for a brief moment of running, of abandoning the plan. But he could not. There was too much at stake. He mustered up as much courage as he could, and followed Doren down, down, down. 

At the bottom of the stairs was a warmly lit room. It was nice, Fen thought, with its wooden floors and assortments of treasures on display. A man stood waiting for them. His stature was imposing to Fen, as this man was much taller and more muscled than himself. Fen was almost enchanted by this man's appearance. His eyes were black, or maybe a dark brown, matching his dark hair cut short on the sides, but longer on top. He had a beard, of which Fen was jealous, as he could never grow one himself. 

Fen was snapped back into focus when the enchanting man spoke. 

"Welcome, initiate Morél." His voice was deep and smooth. 

"I am Yorel, leader of The Roses. Doren tells me you are skillful in the arts of theft." As he spoke, he made a motion to Doren, and he left, leaving Fen alone with Yorel. Fen focused, found his courage, and spoke.

"Yes, I have learned to survive through-" Yorel cut him off. Fen was secretly relieved. 

"You have already proven your skill to Doren. All that's left is one more little test." Yorel's sly smile made Fen's heart beat a little faster. What was it about this man that made him feel this way? He was the enemy for god sake. He tried to steady his heart as he followed Yorel through a hallway. As they walked down the corridor, Fen could hear laughter from adjacent rooms, but it sounded strange as if forced. 

Yorel stopped, held open the door, and motioned for Fen to step inside. Fen was nervous, hoping this test was some easy formality. Fen stepped through the doorway, and Yorel followed, closing the door behind him. Inside, it was mostly empty, except for a small wardrobe in the corner, and chains with cuffs hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the room. Under it, more chains were attached to the floor. The torchlight flickered, but it was more than enough to see by as the room was small. 

Fen was about to say something when Yorel broke the silence.

"Your last test is one of endurance."

"Endurance?" Fen repeated. He now suspected what this room was for. Perhaps they were going to prepare him to keep his cool under pain of torture, or maybe-

Just then Yorel grabbed the hem of Fen's shirt and pulled it up and off. Fen suddenly felt very exposed. Yorel took Fen by the wrist and walked him over to the chains in the middle of the room. 

"There is something you should know about The Roses, Morél." Yorel began. "We are never to use violence against the other members. To harm one another is the highest of demerits. Additionally, there will be times when you won't meet your quotas, or you'll make mistakes... For these situations, certain punishments must be given."

Punishments? Fen thought. There was nothing like this in The Fireflies. He realized that he took more of a risk than he imagined, knowing next to nothing about the Roses. He was a fool to think this guild was the same as any other. He felt himself grow weak- he wasn't sure if he could take the pain of punishment. 

Yorel spoke again. "Don't look so nervous young Morél. You will not be harmed. I abhor violence you see, and would never hurt a fly." Fen paled at that word. Whatever happens, he reminded himself, he must not blow his cover. 

Yorel took Morél's wrists and fastened them to the cuffs. He did the same with Fen's ankles and fastened them to the cuffs on the floor. He then walked over to a wench on the wall and began cranking it. Fen could feel his arm cuffs rising above him, and eventually, they were up so high, his feet came off the floor. Up in the air, with his arms above his head, he could not move. His feet were off of the floor, his legs immobilized by the ankle cuffs. 

"What are you going to do to me?" As he spoke, Fen tried to steady his voice, but he couldn't completely still the slight quiver in it. 

"Well, you see young Morél, I need to dole out a little bit of punishment now, to inspire you to stay in line. Every initiate learns from the start what will happen to them should they make trouble. If you can withstand the punishment, I'll know you are Rose material." Yorel's devious smile made Fen's heart skip a beat."Let's begin, shall we?" 

As Yorel said those words, he walked to the wardrobe in the corner of the room. Fen watched him as he threw open the doors to reveal the contents inside. Fen saw an assortment of feathers and brushes, among other things he couldn't quite make out. Yorel picked out a small, stiff-looking feather and walked back over to Fen, who felt some relief at the innocent-looking feather. Maybe, Fen thought, this wasn't going to be so bad. He didn't know yet how wrong he was.

"Here's what's going to happen." Yorel's voice changed to a more serious tone. "Since we Roses use tickling as punishment, I'm going to tickle you until I feel you can take no more."

"Ok. I'm ready." Fen was relieved it would not be painful, but he wasn't sure how long he could endure being tickled either. He hadn't thought about it before, but he really couldn't remember being ticked at all before this point. He wasn't even sure how ticklish he was. 

Jorel began slowly tracing the feather around Fen's stomach. Fen was taken aback at the sensation. It was soft, but it made him squirm, and he could feel himself suppressing a giggle already. As Yorel traced the feather up from his stomach to under his right arm, the tickling turned from slight to intense as the feather flicked back and forth and dug into the hollow of his armpit. Fen could suppress his giggling no more as he struggled against the chains to no avail. Yorel saw this change and took advantage, putting the feather in his pocket and using his hands now to dig into both of Fen's armpits at once. Fen's giggling turned to uproarious laughter as it spilled out of him against his will. 

Fen could hardly think straight. This is what tickling was? The longer it went on, the more ticklish Fen felt. He tried his best to ignore his tightening pants. Yorel paused his wiggling fingers, but only for a second while Fen caught his breath, and began again as Fen burst into laughter. 

"Hmmm. You have the most ticklish armpits I've seen in a while! I'll keep that in mind." Yorel said playfully. He stopped his attack on Fen's poor underarms for the moment. Fen's heart pounded in his chest- he had no idea it would be this intense already. Although they just started he wasn't sure how much more he could take. He hoped they would be done soon. And damn this hot sensation! How was he getting turned on from this?

"Moving on then," Yorel said as he brought the feather out once more. Fen shivered as he felt it glide from his armpit down to his ribcage. It ran across every rib and up the middle. Fen struggled to contain his giggling- to be completely powerless against such a small thing made Fen feel embarrassed, but he had to endure. 

There was a moment of pause as Yorel walked to the wardrobe and put the feather away. "You're pretty ticklish you know," said Yorel, "just giggling from a feather." His sly smile making Fen feel all the more helpless. Yorel continued. "But the best tools are the hands after all, so I'll just be using my own for now." Yorel turned back to face Fen, his hands out in front of him, fingers wiggling in the air. He spoke as he slowly approached. "I'm not quite done with you yet, Morél. I've still got some spots to try." His playful demeanor made Fen's heart flutter. No! He thought- he couldn't feel this way about the enemy. And he wasn't enjoying this! Yorel came closer and brought his wiggling fingers to Fen's sides, but before he even made contact, Fen broke into a fit of giggles. 

What was going on? Fen thought. He hadn't even touched him yet but he felt so ticklish now that it didn't matter. He tried to catch his breath while Yorel looked on, grinning like he had found a rare treasure. "Please!" Fen said in between breaths. "I don't know how much more-" But before Fen could finish that sentence Yorel gripped his sides and tickled away. Fen made a sound somewhere between a laugh, a gasp, and a yell as he writhed, suspended by the chains. 

Fen couldn't believe how much it tickled. He couldn't contain his laughter now, and it was getting hard to breathe. "Please!" Fen shouted between his erratic laughter. "I can't breathe!" 

"Already?" Yorel sounded surprised, but not necessarily disappointed. "We've barely been at this for 5 minutes, and already you're begging for mercy?" He beamed. "Very well then young Morél, we can be done, after one last thing." Yorel stooped to the floor by Fen's left foot. Fen could feel Yorel peel off his boot and sock- that sensation alone made him pull against his cuffs. Yorel dug his fingers into the balls of Fen's foot, and it was even worse than Fen imagined it would be. He yelled out, his laughter was broken by gasps for air and pleas for mercy. "Please, please stop! I can't breathe!" But Yorel continued, despite Fen's cries for mercy. Fen was panicky now, he began gasping for air, he truly couldn't take it. "I'm begging you, please! Please stop!" 

"Alright, alright," Yorel said as he stopped his assault. He began unfastening the cuffs and Fen felt a wave of relief. As Yorel helped him out of the chains he gave Fen his sock and boot back, as well as his shirt. Fen took them gratefully, thankful that the torture had ended. "Remember this Morél," said Yorel, "Today I was merciful. But should you cross me, break any guild rules, or betray the Roses, I will not be so inclined." His voice was more serious than before. His smile was gone, and his eyes were dark, but only for a second before his face returned to being friendly again. "I'll show you to your room!"

Yorel led Fen out of the room, and down more corridors. As they walked, Fen decided it would be best to keep his head down and avoid getting in trouble. He was on a mission after all, and after what he had just gone through he knew that one slip up could cost him. Stealth would be of the utmost importance. If Yorel, or anyone else for that matter, found out his true reasons for being here, it would all be over.


	2. Anything But That!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been a week since Fen joined the Roses. Unfortunately, a surprise test catches him off guard.

After that first night, Fen was anxious about being undercover. Knowing what sort of punishment awaited him should he underperform made him excel. As the days went on, life got easier. Assignments kept him busy, and being a Rose thief wasn't so bad. As a member, Fen had a room in headquarters, access to the guild kitchens, and a small stipend each week, should he meet his quotas. It felt so professional to Fen, and he felt ashamed at what he had let The Fireflies become. Seeing how good the Roses had it inspired him to focus on his mission. No number of great perks could make him forget that first and foremost, he was a Firefly, and what he did, he did for his guild. 

Tonight would mark Fen's first week among The Roses, and he had been hard at work gathering intel. Secret cache locations, job leads, and information about The Rose members were tucked neatly away inside his coin purse, to be dropped tonight at a location disclosed to only one Firefly, Fen's best friend in the guild, Gillion. Gillion had helped Fen plan his infiltration, and the entire mission hinged on Gillion relaying the intel back to the Fireflies. Seeing each other would be far too risky, but Fen couldn't help but miss his friend. He grew lonely for his comrades, as he had no true confidants here in the Roses.

The night air was crisp. It blushed Fen's cheeks as he walked down the cobblestone alley, away from The Roses Hideout. Fen mapped out his route in his mind one more time. He would leave the market district and head towards Dockside. Gillion had told Fen to drop his intel as he was walking down the street directly East of the Fireflies hideout. This should be easy, Fen thought, as long as nothing goes wrong. 

As he walked, Fen couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. He looked around but saw no one. It was quiet. He continued, making his way to Dockside. 

Fen turned a corner onto the street East of the Firefly hideout. Somewhere near here, Gillion waited for the drop. Though he could not see him, knowing Gillion was close brought Fen great comfort. Fen was halfway down the street when he casually let his purse fall to the ground. The sound it made when it hit the cobbles pumped adrenaline through Fen- his heart beat faster with every step as he approached the next corner. By now, Gillion should have picked it up. The deed was done. The hardest part should be over. He wanted to look back but knew he should not. 

"Morél!"

Fen startled. The voice came from behind. It projected so strongly that it almost echoed. Fen's heart dropped. No. Not here. Fen turned back and saw Yorel holding his coin purse out to him. 

"You dropped your coin! Are you sleepwalking?" 

Fen took a quick glimpse around. Gillion was nowhere in sight. He must have had the sense to wait. 

"Were you following me!?" Fen asked as he reached out for his purse, heart pounding out of his chest.

"I was just out and about! I swear!" Yorel said jovially. Fen narrowed his eyes at him, unconvinced. "Alright, alright, I confess, I saw you, and I was curious as to where you were going this late at night. I wanted to teach you a lesson in being aware of your surroundings, by jumping out and surprising you. Then I saw you dropped your purse, and I couldn't let you part with your coin so foolishly." Yorel chuckled.

"Oh... Well. Thank you Yorel." Fen said with fake graciousness. He tried to think of a way to dismiss Yorel without seeming suspicious. 

"You know, Morél.." Yorel's tone was more serious now. Fen held his breath. "I haven't had a chance to talk with you after your first night, and I'm hoping you aren't afraid of me after your initiation endurance challenge." Fen blushed, but not from the cold. He didn't know what to say. It was true, he had been avoiding Yorel, but not out of fear of him. 

Yorel was handsome and charming. When Fen was around him he felt things he hadn't before. And it wasn't like Yorel was a bad guy or anything, but the Fireflies came first in Fen's life, and to the Fireflies, Yorel was a threat. Fen could not fraternize with the enemy.

"Well?"

Yorel's bassy voice snapped Fen back to reality. 

"Sorry, I've just been busy..." Fen said lamely, unable to find a better excuse than that. He looked away as he pocketed the small bag of intel.

Yorel's face brightened, relieved."Ah, well, meet me at the Garden tonight after your walk. We'll have a drink. That's an order by the way." He laughed as he ran off. Fen waited until he was out of sight before making the drop again, and leaving Dockside as quickly as possible. Fen tried to ignore how close he just came to failing his mission altogether. He wasn't cautious enough. If he had only sensed Yorel's presence earlier, he could have confronted him before he even made it to Dockside. And now Yorel wanted a drink with him. Fen felt the pressure rising.

As Fen stepped into the Garden Tavern, he saw Yorel sitting at the bar with Doren and another man. When he approached, he heard a loud voice."Morél!! Come sit with your fellow initiates!" Others in the tavern turned and looked, and Fen felt embarrassed at the attention. 

Fen joined them at the bar, and the four of them laughed and joked and poked fun at Morél, as Yorel revealed he was the easiest to "break" during initiation. The way Yorel spoke and laughed made Fen feel some type of way. In the lighting of the tavern, Yorel's eyes sparkled, and the ale made his cheeks blush in the best way. It was hard for Fen not to be distracted. He made polite conversation, entertaining their questions and telling pleasant lies. Living as Morél the Rose thief, he could pretend to enjoy the bonding, though it was based on a lie. As the night wore on, Fen became more and more inebriated. So much so that he never remembered stumbling back to his room, or at what ungodly hour he passed out.

But morning came early for Fen and the other initiates. Nursing their massive hangovers, they were all called down to the arena. The arena was a room dedicated to the practice of artful thievery. It was also a place in which to conduct surprise tests of skill, as what was happening this morning. 

The rookies lined up in front of the instructor, Exul. Exul was fast, lean, and graceful. He was the quietest thief in the guild, and he was also the meanest. Or at least he appeared that way. His arms were covered in tattoos, and his face was full of piercings and that made him seem all the more intimidating to newcomers of the guild. 

"Wow, you guys look like shit," Exul exclaimed matter-of-factly. "Especially you there, Morél, was it? I see Yorel still carries on the tradition of getting rookies shitfaced before their tests." He smirked. 

They all groaned. Test? Fen didn't remember being told anything about a test. His head pounded, and he felt sick. He knew he was in no condition to perform. He looked around. There was an obstacle course set up in the arena. It looked like it was to simulate rooftop traversal. Fen paled. It was just himself, Doren, and the other guy he met at the Garden. He struggled to remember his name. It didn't seem like anyone there was going to enjoy what awaited them, except for maybe Exul. 

"As you can see, there is a course set up before you. Each of you will attempt it, one at a time. I will record how many times you fall. Each fall will give you ten minutes of punishment time. Once you reach 6 falls, you fail your test and must retake it. You will get an extra half hour of punishment for failing your test. Are we clear?" 

Everyone nodded. The thought of punishment made Fen break out in a sweat. Or maybe it was the hangover. Either way, this was going to suck.

"Great! Let's go in alphabetical order. Doren! You're up first. Try not to fail it this time." 

Doren glared at Exul. From his own time spying on Doren, Fen knew he wasn't the most skilled. But that meant he was easier to impress, which was how Fen came to be in The Roses, to begin with. Without Doren's recommendation, he wouldn't be here. Fen silently wished him well. 

Doren walked up to the starting line. He was the biggest out of the rookies, but it looked like he held his hangover the best out of anyone. The first obstacle was a simple jump from the floor to a raised platform. Doren struggled to lift his body over the edge of the platform, but he just made it. Next was a walk across a wooden beam. It was hard to watch Doren lose his balance and fall to the floor, especially knowing the consequences.

Doren started again, and again, and again. On his fourth try, he finally made it through the whole course. All the while, not knowing if he was going next or last was eating away at Fen. Damn these nerves! He thought.

"Good improvement Doren! That's still 30 minutes, but at least you passed! See me today for punishment." 

Doren's face was a mixture of pride, pain, and dread. He left without saying a word.

"Morél! Get up there and let's see what you can do!" 

After watching Doren complete it, Fen was confident he could too. Though there was something in the course that made him nervous. He tried to ignore it for now and focus. He wasn't as strong as Doren, or as tall, but he was certainly more agile. 

Fen stepped up to the starting line and jumped for the platform. He grappled onto the ledge and scrambled up quickly. Not so bad, Fen thought. Then, as he looked toward the balance beam, the nausea of the hangover caught up with him. He approached slowly and breathed deeply. Just one step at a time, he reminded himself. Fen's narrow feet could fit the beam easily, and he successfully cleared it. The next obstacle was the one Fen feared the most.

Upon finishing the beam, Fen stood under a rope. The test was to climb the rope up to the ceiling and crawl across a 20ft long platform hanging in the air. At the end of that platform, was a cord that stretched from the ceiling down to the next set of obstacles. 

That was what gave Fen the most anxiety. It could have been anything but that. There was a reason he never traveled by rooftops. Despite his years as a thief, and the skills he had acquired, he could never overcome his crippling fear of heights.

Fen gripped the rope with shakey hands. They felt so weak from fear he could barely hold on. He didn't make it 5ft up before fear overtook him and he fell. 

"That's a fall! Start again!" Called Exul. Fen cursed himself for this weakness. He didn't want a full hour and a half of punishment- he needed to pass this. Again he came to the rope, and again he fell. No matter how gracefully he maneuvered the obstacles that came before, if he could not climb the rope, then he would fail the test. Fen tried his hardest, but as soon as his feet were off the floor, his arms turned to jelly, and again, he would fall. 

"Last chance Morél! Not looking good!" 

Despite the courage Fen tried to muster, he felt more fear than ever approaching the rope. And like all the times that came before, Fen fell. He had failed.

"Wow Morél! Afraid of a little rope are we? You fail! See me tonight for punishment, and don't show up hungover!" With that, he laughed. And Fen left, mortified that he had failed so badly, and dreading the punishment that awaited him that night.

Fen returned to his room. After all that had happened, he felt sicker than ever. There was a soft rapping on the door. It opened, and Doren poked his head in. 

"Morél?" Doren whispered. "You ok? How'd you do? Sorry, I didn't stick around, but I had to go throw up. Damn hangover. Should've known something was up when Yorel kept buying us drinks."

Fen was lying face down on his bed. He didn't turn to face him.

"I failed, Doren. All because I'm afraid of heights." His voice cracked. Fen didn't care he was almost crying in front of Doren. It was nothing compared to the embarrassment he just went through. 

Doren was a little shocked at the state of the man before him. Morél was always a little aloof, and even during their drinking escapades the previous night, Doren felt that he was holding back something. But here he was, looking so vulnerable to him for the first time.

"Hey, Morél, it's ok. Not passing isn't so bad, at least you can try again."

"It's not that I failed, Doren. It's that I don't think I can ever pass." 

There was a long pause. 

"Well, Morél, you should rest up before your punishment. An hour and a half is a long time, and you don't want to be hungover for it. You went after I did, so your punishment will be after mine too. I'll wake you up when it's time."

But Doren's words fell on deaf ears, as Fen was already asleep, exhausted from the hangover, the obstacle course, and the weight of the pressure bearing down on him. 

That evening, Fen awoke to Doren's knocking. "It's time." He heard him say. Fen got up to face his punishment with Exul. Some secret part of Fen wished it would be with Yorel instead. It was rumored that Exul gave out the worst punishments, and no one wanted to recount their experiences with him.

Exul was waiting in the arena. He led Fen to a corridor with a set of stairs going down. "Let's go." He said as he shuffled down. At the bottom of the stairs was a small room with a table and chair. There was a corridor stretching out from the room with what looked like jail cells on either side. "For captives. Empty at the moment." Explained Exul. He led Fen down that corridor to a door at the very end. Exul swung open the door. "Step inside."

The room was similar to the one Yorel brought him to his first night with The Roses. It had the same wardrobe, but there was one difference. No cuffs were hanging from the ceiling, but there was a table. 

This particular table was unlike any Fen had seen. There were straps at the corners, and stocks on one end. 

"Clothes, off." 

Fen was shocked. After all the humiliation he just endured, and was about to endure, he had to strip down too? 

"You can keep your skivvies." Fen rolled his eyes and complied. He had no other choice.

"Alright, on the table you go Morél." 

And on the table, he went. Exul fastened Fen's wrists to the top corners of the table. "And one more." As Exul said it he laid another strap around Fen's forehead, preventing him from lifting it. He then closed the stocks around Fen's ankles. He stood beside Fen and leaned over him, making sure he could see his face.

"Remember Morél, an hour and a half is a long time. With it, I'm going to do more than just punish you. You're going to explain your failure, and we're going to explore the root cause together. I think you'll find this an enlightening experience." He smiled his usual cocky way and walked to the end of the table.

Fen did not like the sound of that. Exul's tone changed, and he spoke more softly now, in a tone that would almost be comforting, had he not been preparing to dole out a harsh punishment.

"Morél. I know you're strong enough physically to climb up a rope... So why did you fail your test?" 

Fen was silent. He just wanted to lay back, take his punishment, and go back to bed. He was not in a good mood, and he wanted no part in exploring his failure.

"That wasn't rhetorical, Morél. Answer me."

When Fen remained silent, Exul switched tactics. His voice grew serious again.

"Fine then. But I will break you Morél, and I have an hour and a half to do it. You couldn't last 10 minutes with Yorel the merciful. I think that's a record! If you don't want to talk to me, then you'll be spending a long time laughing."

And with that, Exul began scratching his nails along the bottoms of Fen's feet. It was like a shockwave. Fen tried to suppress it but failed immediately as giggles spilled from him. Not already! Fen thought. It was already so much to bear. Exul kept going. His fingers were wiggling away while his nails scratched and scratched. The longer Exul tickled Fen, the more his giggling turned into frenzied laughter. 

"Morél, explain your failure!" 

Fen was almost gasping for air at this point. He struggled against his restraints. The fact that he couldn't move his head to look at Exul was maddening. He tried to say something coherent but it was impossible while being tortured like this. 

"What's that Morél? Are you trying to say something? I can't understand you. Speak more clearly." 

"I!.... Don't!.... Know!" Fen managed to yell out in between laughing and gasping for air. Exul showed no signs of stopping.

"Don't lie to me, Morél," Exul exclaimed, speaking softly now. "You can tell me." 

Fen realized it was pointless to hide it. Exul would get it out of him sooner or later. He couldn't stand his feet being tickled anymore, so as clearly as he could, he answered.

"I!.... Was!.... Afraid!"

Exul stopped. Fen caught his breath, thankful for the break. 

"Well now. That's interesting." Exul looked at the boy. He was teary-eyed and shaking. He almost felt bad for him. Almost. Exul approached the head of the table. He stood over Fen, making sure that they made eye contact before speaking again. 

"That wasn't so hard was it?" Exul said softly. He placed his hands on Fen's ribcage, readying himself for his next question. Fen didn't like how close Exul was. 

"Please don't make me talk about it..." Pleaded Fen. He wasn't ready for Exul's interrogation. He was beginning to understand why no one spoke of their punishments with him. 

Exul looked down at the boy. Below his tough exterior, he did care about the initiates and all the other Rose members for that matter. Punishing mistakes was only part of his job. He also helped initiates overcome hangups that may affect their performance. There was always resistance at first, but eventually, everyone cooperated.

"You may not realize it now," Exul said kindly, "but this is for your own good Morél." Fen closed his eyes, trying to block him out. 

"Look at me Morél!" Exul was stern now and began tickling Fen's ribcage. Fen opened his eyes and Exul stopped. He was beginning to understand now. Compliance was rewarded with breaks. More breaks were better than no breaks, Fen thought. He resolved to just get this over with as painlessly as possible.

Exul returned to his soft voice.

"What are you afraid of?" His hands returned to their spidery dance along Fen's ribs. 

"Heights!" Fen blurted out before the tickling could continue any further. Exul paused for a few seconds before beginning again.

"Why, Morél? Why are you afraid of heights?" Fen panicked. He could barely think straight with Exul standing right over him, assaulting his poor ribcage with his long, deft fingers.

"I don't know!" Fen shouted. Exul did not relent. 

"Please! I really don't know! I swear!" His laughter became uncontrollable. Fen knew he wasn't telling the full truth. The origin of his phobia was something he repressed, as trying to remember was painful. 

Exul's hands danced from Fen's ribs up under his arms. Fen felt a jolt as he did so, a new, more intense feeling of ticklishness washed over him. It was all he could do but lie there and take his punishment, trying to breathe between fits of laughter. 

"What did I say about lying to me?" Exul's voice projected mock irritation. 

Fen was tearing up again. He knew Exul wouldn't quit until he gave him what he wanted.

"I fell!" Fen managed to choke out.

"You fell?" Exul stilled his hands for the moment. Fen's walls were breaking, and memories came rushing back, painful though they were.

"No... I was thrown..." Exul's eyes grew sympathetic and he placed a hand on Fen's forehead, brushing the hair back from his eyes. Fen knew the small comfort was just to pry more information out of him. He was tired of the mind games. He didn't want to remember. 

"Who hurt you Morél?" Exul said, almost a whisper. Tears rolled down the sides of Fen's face as he tried to recall. 

"I don't remember." 

Exul returned his hands to Fen's armpits, poised and ready. Gently, they began to trace circles. 

"Agghh, no! I really don't remember!" From being brought to tears, straight to being forced to laugh. This wasn't just physical torture, it was psychological too. 

"Try to remember."

"I can't!" 

Exul quickened his pace. Instead of circles, he dug in with his fingers, forcing more laughter from the boy. 

"Try harder!" Exul upped the pressure. "I won't stop until you remember!" 

Fen tried to think. He pulled against the straps holding him, not being able to move was driving him insane. He frantically tried to search through his memories but he couldn't recall their faces. He suspected their identities but didn't want to admit it to himself. It was too painful. 

Exul persisted. He changed his strategy. His hands jumped from his underarms to his ribs, to his stomach, and back again, sporadically changing pace and location. The lack of predictability made it hard for Fen to catch his breath between each new shockwave of ticklish torture. 

"You can make me stop at any time Morél, you just have to remember."

Fen knew what he had to do. He had to face it. He had to recall his painful memories, and admit them to Exul. 

"It was my parents!" Fen yelled, exasperated. Exul stopped. Fen continued through tears and gasps for air.

"My parents didn't want me. So they threw me off of a tall roof when I was a child." A flood of emotions rushed through Fen. Anger, sadness, embarrassment, shame. Exul listened.

"I should have died." Fen's voice cracked. 

"Shhh, Morél. It's ok now. You did well." Exul gently wiped Fen's tears from his face. "You lived. You became strong. The worst that could happen to you has already happened, and you survived to see another day." He began undoing Fen's binds.

"Follow me to the arena," Exul told him.

Fen got clothed and obediently followed.

They were back at the obstacle course now, Fen's heart dropping as he suspected what would happen next. Exul spoke.

"You're going to finish the obstacle course this time Morél. If you don't, we're going for another round of punishment."

That's all Fen needed to hear. He focused harder than he ever had before. He cleared the jump and beam easily. When he approached the rope, his hands began to shake. Exul yelled from the sidelines.

"Morél! You will climb that rope, I know you can!" Fen had accepted his past now. Forced to come to terms with what had happened, he knew he could conquer his fear. Now, all he had to do was prove it. 

He grasped the rope. His grip felt strong. He took a deep breath and climbed. Fen's usual grace had returned, his confidence higher than ever as he climbed to the top, shimmied on the suspended platforms, and fearlessly ziplined down to the rest of the obstacles below. He had done it. He cleared the rest of the obstacles with ease and crossed the finish line, where Exul awaited him.

"Congratulations, rookie. As a reward, I'll let you skip out on the rest of your punishment. It's only been 20 minutes, but we accomplished what we needed to. Get some rest."

Fen ran out from the arena, tears welling up and spilling down his cheeks. This time they were not tears of sorrow or pain, but pride. 

Back in his room, Fen fell into his bed. The past 24 hours had been an emotional roller coaster, but now everything should be fine, at least for a little while. Fen thought about the information drop. Had Gillion received it? Will the information help the Fireflies? 

Fen thought of his guild, and he missed home terribly. However, after tonight and his progress with Exul, he started to feel guilty. Betraying the Roses was inherent to the mission, but the more people he had gotten to know here, the less he felt that they deserved it. As much as he hated the punishments and as challenging working for the guild was sometimes, Fen felt his skills improving, and he had more coin than he ever had before. Conquering his fear of heights was something he had given up on, but with Exul's help, he actually did it.

Fen fought off his conflicted feelings and thought fondly of Gillion, and Yorel too. Maybe he would find a way to help the Fireflies without hurting the Roses. Imaginary gears turned in Fen's mind, trying to find a solution that most likely didn't exist. Before he could think any more, he fell fast asleep.


	3. Seeds Of War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fen is closer to Yorel than ever, but the situation becomes more complex as the Fireflies are becoming restless.

It was early in the morning when Yorel called a guild meeting. The bodies of every Rose thief packed into the mess hall and waited. Fen stood at the front of the crowd. 

When Yorel entered, the attention of the entire room snapped to him almost immediately, and the hushed whispers of the crowd ceased. He faced them and spoke.

"Attention, Roses. Our caches are missing excessively large sums of gold." He continued talking, but Fen was lost in his thoughts. This means the Fireflies had gotten his intel, and have been using it. The plan was working. Yorel's voice came to the forefront of Fen's focus once again. "...tripling security at every cache. Whoever sees the thief is to capture him and bring him here immediately." 

Fen's heart raced. He had to warn the Fireflies. He couldn't wait until the next information drop. He had to slip away to the Fireflies hideout and warn them to back off the caches, and he had to do it today. The coin was a great boon, but taking any more would be way too risky.

Yorel was still talking. "In other news, potential clients have been turning us down recently, and have been doing business with another guild, The Dockside Fireflies." Fen tried to hide his excitement. More business for the Fireflies was all he wanted. But he didn't know how the Roses were going to handle their business being encroached upon.

"Right now there is no need for retaliation." Said Yorel. "After all, a little competition is good." The crowd of thieves looked disappointed, but Fen was relieved. If the Fireflies could pull off a balance with the Roses, it seemed like they could get away with stealing some business. As long as they didn't get caught stealing gold from the caches, this should be able to work.

As the meeting wrapped up, Fen left the hideout. He had to get word to the Fireflies before they try to steal from the caches again. With Yorel tripling security, they would get caught, and the whole plan would be in jeopardy. 

As Fen traveled, he thought about being able to see Gillion. He had been on his mind recently, and he missed his friend. This was the longest the two had been apart since Fen was first taken in by the Fireflies as a child. It was rough at first, being a child in a guild of thieves, but Gillion, being a few years older than him, showed him kindness and taught him the skills he would need to survive as a thief. 

Still indulging in nostalgic memories, Fen arrived at his old hideout and made sure he wasn't seen slipping into the secret entrance. Once inside, he made his way to the main hall, where several Fireflies were gathered. Once they realized it was Fen who had walked through the door, they all came over excitedly to greet him. All except Lesky, who didn't look particularly overjoyed with Fen's return.

Lesky had been temporarily in charge since Fen had left on his mission, and the two were often at odds with one another. Usually, it was Gillion who would resolve their disagreements. 

Lesky looked and finally approached. "I assume you have important news, or you wouldn't be risking yourself by coming here." 

"Lesky, we have to stop stealing from the Rose caches for now-" Lesky cut him off.

"We need that money to operate. There still aren't enough jobs coming in." He looked irritated.

"Listen, Lesky, Yorel is tripling security at every cache. If anyone tries anything right now, they'll get caught. You know from the intel I gave you what will happen if anyone gets captured." 

Lesky gave an indignant huff. "Well, it's about time you come home then if it's so risky. A more direct approach is what we need anyway. You've gotten some info for us, you've gotten us some jobs, now it's time for us to strike them where it hurts-" 

"You don't understand." Fen cut in, annoyance creeping into his voice. "There are more of them than there are of us. We have to be careful. Don't send anyone to provoke the Roses. It could ruin the entire plan!"

"And when exactly is this plan going to end? While you are over there enjoying yourself, we are here, still struggling to get by. We can't afford to wait forever. Much longer, and we'll have no choice but to attack them directly." 

Fen hadn't thought about his exit strategy yet. It was something he had been putting off... It was true, he was enjoying himself somewhat, but he was still loyal to the Fireflies. 

"The mission will be complete when the Fireflies are thriving again. And don't undermine the work I've been doing, Lesky, I've been punished enough already."

"It's already been decided Fen. We're getting desperate here." The edge in Lesky's voice dropped somewhat. "Two weeks. You have two weeks, and then the Fireflies will directly confront them. If you don't come home by then, I won't hesitate to treat you like the rest of those Roses."

Fen realized that arguing was pointless. Gillion would understand the situation, and keep things under control far better.

"Where's Gillion?" 

Lesky smirked. "He's out on a job."

"Where?"

"I'm not at liberty to say, but I'll tell him exactly what you told me." At that, he turned and left. The others who were listening to their argument slowly crept away. Fen knew he couldn't trust Lesky, but he didn't have any other options.

As Fen left the hideout, he tried to organize his thoughts on the whole situation. He wanted what was best for the Fireflies, but he didn't think attacking the Roses directly was the best option. Should he warn Yorel about the attack? Betray the Fireflies for their own sake? Fen felt the pressure mounting again. Two weeks wasn't enough time. He continued walking, lost in thought, and decided that he needed a drink. One evening to unwind, then he would make a game plan.

As he stepped into the Garden Tavern, he spied Yorel, alone at the bar. His cheeks already glowing from drink, his hearty laugh almost musical. Fen wondered if he should leave- as much as he was drawn to him, getting close to Yorel would be even more dangerous given the current situation. But then Yorel noticed him, still standing by the door, and waved him over. His smile was genuine and bright, and his warm eyes sparkled in the torchlight. Fen felt something in him stir and knew that he could not refuse, so he approached the bar and sat down next to Yorel.

"Ahhh, Morél is here! Barkeep, bring two more mugs of my usual!" And the bartender nodded and went to work on the drinks. 

"You're going to love this- it's their finest cider, but with something a little extra!" Yorel winked, and his mock-devious smile pierced Fen's heart. He knew Yorel's charm would be the death of him. How, in such a short period, could Fen have become so enchanted by this man? 

"What? Do I have something on my face?" Yorel pawed at his mouth and cheeks. Fen hadn't realized he was staring for so long.

"Oh sorry Yorel, I've just got a lot on my mind..."

"Well then let's drink about it!" 

The bartender returned with the ciders, though they looked a little different than any Fen had drunk before. He gave it a tentative sniff and nearly choked at the fumes. Yorel chuckled at his reaction.

"This cider is something special," Yorel said, "It's stronger than anything in this whole city, and it's my personal favorite." 

"Jeez Yorel, I'm almost drunk just looking at it!" Fen felt himself relaxing. The atmosphere and time with Yorel were small distractions from his mission, but they were a welcome reprieve.

And so, the two men sat at the bar and drank. As afternoon turned into evening, the tavern began filling with dozens of patrons, and the bar became too crowded for conversation. It was then that Yorel suggested a walk through the courtyard. Fen, especially now that he was drunk, threw caution to the wind and jumped excitedly at the opportunity to spend more time with Yorel.

The courtyard of the Garden Tavern was large and filled with several small rose gardens, open lawns, and beautifully trimmed hedges. It was the perfect location for a quiet, intimate walk. 

"This is one of my favorite places." Yorel was calmer now, tranquilized by the serenity of the garden, as opposed to excited by the energy of the tavern. "Thank you for spending time with me today." 

Fen was surprised- he thought it was he that should be doing the thanking. 

"Oh, no, I should be thanking you for the drinks." He said with a laugh.

"You know, you're one of the only Roses who doesn't seem to avoid me. I wonder why?" He turned his head, cocked an eyebrow, and grinned. "Maybe it's because I don't punish you enough?"

Fen tried to ignore how attractive Yorel was in the evening light, and how his words sent heat through his body. He hoped he wasn't blushing, but remembering he had been drinking, so it didn't matter.

"I think I've already been punished enough to know how to avoid it if I can." He laughed.

"You've hardly been punished, Morél," Yorel said, laughing. "You have the best record of everyone in your rank and the rank above yours. Not everyone can compete with your ability." 

Fen realized that was the first real compliment he had received in a long time. 

"Wow, thank you Yorel. I really appreciate that." Fen's tone was serious, which seemed to make Yorel a little nervous, like he was caught a little off guard, either with Fen's reaction or with himself for saying it at all.

"Anyway," Yorel hurried on, "I mean to say that out of anyone in the guild, I've seen you the least. Even Exul had more time with you than I did! It's enough to make a man jealous." He laughed jokingly.

Fen was picking apart Yorel's words. Was he flirting with him? Was it safe to flirt back? Was that even a good idea? There was so much in jeopardy yet, Fen's mind was muddled with inebriation. 

"Don't worry Morél, I'm just messing with you! The drink's just got to me is all." 

Fen felt some relief along with a pang of hurt. Why did he want Yorel to flirt with him anyway? Maybe the drink had gotten to him as well. Finally, he thought of something to say.

"Hey, Yorel?"

"Yes?"

"Have you ever had to be punished?" 

Yorel stopped walking and a look of thoughtful contemplation crossed his face. 

"Hmmm... Well, I am the leader of the Roses, so I haven't been punished in the traditional sense. But there was a time when Exul caught me off guard, but I'm sure you don't want to hear about that." Yorel's tone was playful again.

"Hmm. Maybe I do?" Fen was beginning to feel a little playful himself.

"Well, it's a little hard to say how it happened. Maybe I'll just demonstrate on you?" 

There was a spark behind Yorel's eyes, and Fen knew what was about to happen. Despite everything else, Fen was excited. As Yorel attempted to grab and hold him, he quickly slipped away.

"Not going to make this easy Morél? That's ok, I like a little challenge." Yorel was smiling, as always.

"Catch me if you can!" Fen said teasingly before sprinting across an open lawn. Yorel looked at him like a hunter looks at his prey. 

Fen made it to the other end of the lawn by the tavern before he looked back to see if Yorel was pursuing him, but saw no one. Confused, he stopped to look around. Was he hiding? Waiting for the right moment to strike? The anticipation sent shivers down his spine. Then, just a second too late, he looked up.

Yorel was already sliding down the wall of the tavern, landing on the lawn, and 3 steps away before Fen realized where he had come from. 

He's so fast! Fen thought, as he barely dodged Yorel's grab. 

"Almost got you with that one!" Yorel looked focused, the inebriation from earlier wasn't affecting him now. Fen, on the other hand, was still quite tipsy, and at a disadvantage. It was only a few short seconds before Yorel had Fen on the ground, immobilized, the both of them laughing. Fen was lying on his back while Yorel straddled him. Fen hoped that Yorel couldn't feel how excited he was getting. 

"Gotcha! And what to do with my little captive now?" Teased Yorel.

"You could let me go?" Fen teased back. Although the object of their game was not to get caught, a secret little part of Fen wanted this- despite his conscious denial and repression.

Yorel looked down at his catch approvingly. "Let you go? But that wouldn't be any fun now would it?" 

Yorel dug his wiggling fingers under Fen's arms. Fen clamped his arms close reflexively, but Yorel's hands were already there. Poking, wiggling, and tickling, all while Fen laughed and bucked under him. Yorel hoped that he wouldn't notice the extent to which he was truly enjoying this. What about this rookie had him so interested? He was not like the rest, Yorel thought. From the day he joined the Roses, there was something about him that Yorel couldn't quite put his finger on. 

"Have you had enough Morél? Are you gonna call uncle?" 

"Uncle! Uncle!" Yorel momentarily stopped his assault while Fen caught his breath. 

Yorel still had that mischievous look in his eyes. 

"I don't know if that quite convinced me..." 

Yorel stuck his hands under Fen's shirt to get at his ribs. The sudden sensation of Yorel's hands on his bare skin was a ticklish shock that reduced Fen to a maniacally laughing mess. He tried to hold Yorel's wrists away from him but he was just too strong. Pinned under the man, Fen could do nothing to protect himself. 

As Yorel continued tickling, he danced his fingers across the ribs, occasionally foraying down the sides, each time earning a shriek and a buck from the struggling boy under him. 

"Uncle! Please! I submit!" Fen could barely catch his breath. 

"Alright, alright, I think you've had enough." As he stopped, he looked down at the boy before him. The two made eye contact. They held it for a second, and Yorel fought the urge to lean closer.

As Yorel helped Fen up off the ground, one of The Rose's scouts approached them.

"Sir! We need you to come back to headquarters right away." The scout looked exasperated like he had been running, hurrying to find Yorel. 

"Is there something wrong?" Yorel, though just seconds before was playful and joyous, was now serious and stoic as stone. 

"We caught someone stealing from a cache. We are holding him now, awaiting your instruction."

Fen's stomach dropped. Then, guilt set in. He knew it. He knew Lesky was going to be reckless and send someone to get caught. What was he thinking! 

"Come Morél, we have a guest." 

And with that, Yorel, the scout, and Fen all raced to the alley to get back to the hideout. 

As Fen walked down the stairs he could already hear the commotion. Thieves running about, people cheering and hollering. They were shouting various punishments that they thought would be fitting of their captive. 

As the crowd saw Yorel enter, quiet ensued. The scout led the way to the main hall where the bulk of the crowd had gathered, waiting for Yorel's verdict. Two more scouts stood at the head of the room, each was holding an arm of a man kneeling on the floor, whose head was covered by a black executioner hood.

Yorel walked toward the head of the room to address the crowd. 

"Roses! Give thanks to our wonderful scouts who have captured us this thief." 

He gestured to the man whose head was covered. The crowd cheered. Then, Yorel held a hand up to quiet down the room. 

Fen had followed Yorel to the front of the room but stopped short of walking in front of the crowd. His view of the captive was perfect. He was trying to come up with a plan, but it was impossible without knowing what would happen next.

"Should we reveal who this little thief is?" The crowd cheered once more. The scouts drug the man over to Yorel. 

Fen was hoping against hope that it wasn't who he suspected it was. But all hopes were dashed the moment Yorel pulled off the captive's hood. At that moment, Fen made eye contact with the captive. It was the one person that Fen never wanted to be put in danger. 

He stared back, surprise, fear, anger written all over his face. Amidst the roaring crowd, Fen was silent. His guilt buried him so deep he couldn't move. He stood there, broken because the captive who stared back at him was his best friend. It was Gillion. 

"Scouts! Take him to Exul! He'll know just what to do." Yorel smiled as he faced the crowd. Ever the fair and merciful leader, he wouldn't wish harm upon another at first. What's some theft now and again anyway? Yorel thought. To him it was all part of a grand game. A game, however, that he was determined to win. He looked through the crowd for his companion of the evening, but he was gone.

Fen stalked the scouts escorting Gillion down the hall to the arena. He stayed a good distance behind as to not arouse suspicion. 

How could he let this happen? His friend, now in the clutches of the enemy. This was all Lesky's doing, Fen was sure of it. He sent Gillion here to get him out of the way, and blow Fen's cover to dispose of him too! Fen was sure that was a giant scheme to steal control of the Fireflies from him and Gillion. It had to be.

Fen was seething. He had a mind to march right up to Lesky and destroy him himself. But there were more important things to do right now. He knew Exul was going to interrogate Gillion. What he needed to do, was find a way to listen in, so that he knew exactly what questions were asked, and what exactly Gillion would reveal so he had time to plan and act accordingly. Then, when he could, he would break Gillion out and they would run. They would put this whole plan behind them. 

Fen kept following the scouts and Gillion as they made their way down the stairs from the arena, down to the holding cells. He stopped short of going down with them. There might be a way to listen in on them from up here, Fen thought. Even a small crack in the bottom somewhere along this wall would allow Fen to hear what was going on in the adjacent rooms downstairs. 

Fen looked slowly and closely. As he was nearing the section of the wall adjacent to the interrogation room, he found a small crack in the bottom of it. Through it, he could even see into the interrogation room a little. He watched as Exul prepared something in a vial, then stow it in the wardrobe. He wiped off the table with a rag and tested each of the restraints. So this was his routine. 

Fen felt weird, watching in on his own friend's torture. But he had no choice. He waited for the scouts to bring Gillion in for questioning.

Eventually, the door to the room opened and Fen saw Gillion being dragged in and strapped down to the table. He was already stripped of his possessions and clothes, save his underwear. This was already hard for Fen to watch. As the scouts left, Exul walked over to Gillion, whose face was surprisingly calm given the situation. He was sweaty, his jet black hair sticking to his face. Exul cleared the hair from Gillions eyes carefully, and gently.

"Haven't had a captive in a long time you know. Most people know not to fuck with us." Exul chuckled a little. Gillion remained silent.

"Not gonna say anything then? I was only being polite. Both of those things are gonna change real soon." 

Exul positioned himself at the foot of the table. Gillions feet awaited in the stocks, and Exul tested the waters by moving his nails slowly up and down the arches. 

There was no reaction from Gillion. Exul cocked his head in confusion. He made more deliberate movements, but no matter what he tried, Gillion remained silent.

Fen watched and waited. He wasn't sure what would happen. The Roses weren't known to use violent methods, but if someone wasn't ticklish, what else could they resort to?

Exul approached Gillion's face again. He looked deep into his eyes, checking one at a time. 

"Ahhh. I see. That's what's wrong with you." Said Exul. He walked over to the wardrobe, opened it, and retrieved the vial from before. He returned to Gillion and proceeded to plug his nose with one hand and ready the vial with the other.

"C'mon, you gotta breathe at some point." 

Exul waited until Gillion couldn't hold his breath anymore, and opened his mouth to breathe. Once he did, Exul forced the contents of the vial down Gillion's throat, held his mouth shut. Gillion fought it, but there was nothing he could do but choke it down.

"There we go, see, that wasn't so bad was it?" Exul spoke softly.

"Here are the rules. I'll be asking the questions, you'll be giving me answers. Don't try to lie to me, because I know a lie when I hear it. Simple enough?"

Gillion still gave no reply. 

"The vial I gave you is to counteract the drug I know you took. Once I saw your eyes I knew you took something to deaden your senses. It's been known to happen before, and often happens when people are taken captive. You should be feeling the effects momentarily. In addition to reversing the nerve deadening, it may make you even more sensitive."

Fen could see through the crack in the wall that Gillion was starting to freak out. Before, his eyes were calm, and now, they looked around the room, frantic, panicking. Exul returned to the foot of the table.

"Let's see what I'm dealing with now."

With a hand on each foot, Exul began slowly tracing his nails in little circles along the arches. Gillion's body writhed, and it was apparent he was stifling a laugh. His look of discomfort grew as Exul increased his speed. Despite his efforts, Gillion couldn't help but break out in a fit of giggles. 

"There we go! That's a good man now." Exul sounded pleased. He continued lightly teasing Gillion's soles. Gillion didn't sound too distressed yet, but his was resolve was going to wear thin.

Fen felt horrible. This was somewhat his fault after all. He wished he could switch places with his friend, to take the torture instead. Thinking of being under Exul's control again made him weak, but he would do it in a heartbeat if only he could.

Exul spoke again, still tickling.

"You can make me stop anytime you want by simply answering my questions. I won't stop however until I have all the information I want. Say you understand."

"I understand!" Gillion wasted no time complying.

"Wow, that was quick." Exul paused his assault and Gillion gasped for air. 

"See, this will be easy for you! Now let's move on to my first question."

Exul moved from the foot of the table to Gillion's side. He made sure they could see each others' faces before moving on. 

"You took a nerve deadening drug before you came here. Why is that?"

Exul placed a hand on Gillion's chest, lightly tracing his fingers around each rib. Not seriously threatening, but a taste of what would happen should he not answer truthfully.

"I took it because... Uhm..."

As Gillion searched for a smart answer, Exul got impatient. He took both hands and grabbed Gillion's sides. He squeezed all up and down each side as laughter erupted from his victim. 

"Don't think too long now, or I might get bored."

Choking on laughter, Gillion couldn't speak if he tried. Exul wasn't kidding about increased sensitivity it seemed. He barely even had to try to reduce his captive to a giggling mess. 

Finally, in between sporadic breaths, Gillion was able to spit out an answer.

"To prepare for torture!"

Exul paused and cocked his head.

"So you knew you were going to be caught and tortured?

Gillion tried to shake his head in his restraints and quickly spoke before Exul got another chance to start again.

"No! I was hoping not to be- I just took it as a precaution."

"A precaution..." Exul repeated that word. He was thinking, forming a verbal trap in which to ensnare his victim further.

"That drug's expensive. Surely you don't always use it, or you would never make any profit. That means you knew to use it in this particular case. That points to you having some prior knowledge about who exactly you were dealing with. So tell me, did you or did you not know you were stealing from The Roses?" 

Exul's hands jumped to action once again. But this time, they were tickling Gillion's stomach. The sudden jolt of sensation sent Gillion's body shaking against his restraints, his voice sent high with a shriek, followed by a cascade of giggles.

"Yes! No! I can explain!" He wasn't quite out of breath with laughter, but he couldn't bring his giggling under control.

Exul showed no signs of stopping.

"Yes? No? You'll learn not to say those words next to each other when speaking to me." 

"No! No! I didn't know it was The Roses!" 

Fen knew that was a lie, but it sounded so convincing, he wasn't sure if Exul would catch it. All he could do was wait and listen.

"Oh no? Let's come back to that one then." Exul paused and walked to the head of the table. He leaned over Gillion's head to look him straight in the eyes. He placed his hands under Gillion's arms. His fingertips barely grazed the skin yet his victim twitched underneath him. 

"What is your name?"

Gillions eyes darted around. 

"Look at me! What is your name?" Exul began slowly tracing circles while Gillion writhed and resisted. Before he could let it go on further, he spoke.

"It's Kas! My name... Is Kas..." 

Exul stopped again. His voice got quieter but still retained the same intensity as before.

"So... Kas... What is it you do? Do you have a job other than being a thief?"

"No... I don't."

"So you do this for a living? Then tell me, do you operate alone?"

Exul was still staring intently into Gillion's eyes.

"Yes, I operate alone." Exul cocked his head. He continued tickling Gillion's armpits, more vigorously this time, and the captive immediately broke out into laughter, pulling at his restraints all the while.

"Please! I swear I'm telling the truth!" He barely managed to speak while he choked on his laughter.

"Let's recall the facts shall we? You were caught alone sure, but you were under the effect of a very expensive nerve deadening drug, which you say you only took as a precaution. If you took it as a precaution, then you must have known the risks of getting caught. That means you knew what kind of numbers you were going up against. One person doesn't go up against a whole group without support. If you worked alone, you would not have risked yourself getting caught at all. It is much more likely that someone would risk capture only if they have a backup plan involving the support of others, perhaps, an organization or guild." 

Exul didn't let up in the slightest, even as he spoke. Gillion shook and struggled.

"Please stop! I'll tell you please just stop!"

But Exul continued.

"This means that you don't work alone at all, do you, Kas, if that is your real name?"

Laughter turned to frantic cries as Gillion tried to breathe. 

"No! I admit it I don't work alone, please just stop!"

And Exul paused. 

"That's a good man now. See what happens when you lie to me... Kas?" 

Gillion said nothing.

Fen almost couldn't watch any further. His best friend was breaking. As hard as he tried, Fen knew Gillion wouldn't last under Exul's torture. He would get everything eventually. Fen could feel his time with the Roses coming to an end. He needed to get Gillion out of here. That was his mission now. But how?

"So," Exul began, "Imagine if you can, what I must be thinking in this current moment. Our jobs are being taken by a guild called the Dockside Fireflies, at the very same time that money is going missing from our caches. It's all a little too... Coincidental... Isn't it? And then, a thief, who is clearly part of an organization of their own happens to be caught stealing from us."

For a moment, there was silence. This was the moment Fen was waiting for. 

"So... Kas... Tell me, and I'm only going to ask this once. Are you a Firefly?"

Fen held his breath. Exul placed his hands at the ready, but before he made contact, a voice, low and quiet, broke the silence.

"Yes... I'm a Firefly."


End file.
